Riveting unit



F. WAHL RIVETING UNIT Feb. 25, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1961 LL/HL..

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. WAHL RIVETING UNIT Feb. 25, 1964 Filed May 19, 1961 F. LL/H/-L W Q7 TCPA/E F. WAHL RIVEI'ING UNIT Feb. 25, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 19, 1961 QTTU/QNE United States Patent O 3,122,035 RVETING UNTI Frank Wahl, North Bergen, NJ., assigor to Western viectric Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New ork Fiied May 19, 1961, Ser. N a 111,356 2 Claims. (Ci. 7S-49) This invention relates in general to riveting devices and more particularly to riveting devices for automatically joining relay armatures and hinge springs.

In the assembly of relays for various electrical applications, the relay armature is attached to a hinge spring which mounts on the relay base. When the relay is energized, the armature is attracted by a magnetized core and moves within the limitations imposed by the hinge to open or close contacts. rI'he hinge spring had previously been riveted to the relay armature by an air riveting device requiring manual feed and operation. Due to the great volume of relays manufactured, this manual method has proven to be slow and inecient and generally has resulted in excessive rejects.

The object of this invention is Ia riveting unit for automatically locating and riveting parts.

In accordance with the general features of this invention, a spring pressed locating element positions a first part in a nest `and another element locates a second part with respect to the first part and in alignment with a tool. A tool support carrying the tool yand locating elements cooperates with an anvil disposed in the nest to join the two parts together by riveting. The riveted assembly is held firmly in place during the riveting operation and is released on completion by pressure pads, This invention can be used in conjunction with a turret-type machine for automatic armature forming and assembly of the armature and hinge spring.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

PPG. l is a side elevational view, parts of which are shown in broken-out section, with the upper tool support and locating elements Ian open position and with a relay armature and hinge spring in the nest prior to positioning;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus for carrying out the invention with the `chief functional elements shown in a broken-out section of the operated position with the parts being riveted;

FiG. 3 is an isometric drawing of a riveted armature and hinge spring;

FIG. 4 is a broken perspective view of the nest with an armature and hinge spring in approximate position;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the armature feed mechanism which locates the armature approximately in the nest;

FiGS. 6a and 6b present a broken-out side view illustrating the locating of the hinge spring in the nest with the spring pressed locating element engaging the spring, positioning its aperture over the pin-like projection in the armature; and

FiGS. 7a and 7b depict the actual riveting operation as the hinge spring is positioned over the armature and the tool descends to cooperate with the anvil in riveting the parts.

With respect to the drawings, the riveting unit comprising an upper member 1 and a lower member 2, the member 1 being in the open position, as shown in FIG. l, during the indexing of a turret 3. The lower member rests on a fixed support 4 and carries a pressure pad 5 backed by a spring e and an anvil 7 which is situated beneath each pin-like projection 33 in an armature 8 extending through apertures in a spring 1G. Positive stops 13 and 14 of an adjustable nature bottom the motion of adjusta- ICC ble stop pins 11 and 12 in order to arrest the motion of the upper member.

A piston rod 15 of an air cylinder 28 connected to the lower member is pinned to the upper member at 16. This cylinder works against the action of springs 17 through a linkage 1S to pivot the upper member 1 to the closed position about a hinge 19 located in the same plane as the nest 20.

T he upper member also contains a rigid section 21, a pressure pad 22, backed by a spring 29, to hold the parts which are being riveted, a push-off pin 23, backed by a spring 32, and locating elements 24 and 25, backed respectively by springs 30 and 31, to position the armature and spring while the tool 26 performs the riveting operation.

In operation, the armature 8 and spring 10 are fed into the nest 20 by a feed mechanism 27 rigidly aflixed to a slidable member 34 mounted on a turret 3 (FGS. 4 and 5). The armature 8 and spring 1t) are roughly positioned with respect to one another either manually or automatically in a prior operation. The mechanism 27 advances the armature S into the nest 20 by contact with surface 36 while the vertical portion 37 and vertical projections 38 which engage holes 39 maintain the spring 1@ in the same relative position with respect to the armature.

Upon actuation of the air cylinder 28 by suitable means (not shown), the upper member 1 pivots downwardly about 19 causing locating element 2S to engage slot 41 in mechanism 27 and force the armature 8 against the Vertical surface 42 of stop 13. Simultaneously, the descending pressure pad 22 blocks the transverse movement of the assembly 4t) as i-t seats in the nest 2i). The further descent of member 1 brings locating member 24 in meshing engagement with the holes 43 accurately positioning the apertures 9 in the spring 10 over the pin-like projections 33 of the previously positioned armature 8. The springloaded push-off pin 23 contacts the projection 38 for later strip-olf action. The riveting unit is shown in an operated position in FIG. 2.

This riveting unit is designed to be utilized in conjunction with a turret-type machine for automatic armature forming and hinge spring assembly but it may also be fed by hand rather than automatically as in the preferred embodiment.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. In an apparatus for riveting at least one pin-like projection preformed in a first part to a second part having an aperture to receive the pin-like projection:

a nest to receive the first part,

an anvil disposed in the nest,

a tool support movably disposed opposite the nest,

means operable to move the tool support between a normal open position and an operating position,

a tool carried by the support-to cooperate with the anvil in the operating position to rivet the end of the pinlike projection,

an adjustable spring pressed llocating element carried by the tool support adapted to locate the first part in the nest and the pin-like projection in alignment with the anvil and tool prior to the tool reaching the operating position, and an adjustable spring pressed locating element carried by the tool support to locate the second part to lposition its aperture on the pin-like projection in the rst part in alignment with the anvil and tool prior to the tool reaching its operating position.

2. In an apparatus for riveting the legs of substantially U-shaped relay hinge springs having a plurality of apertures situated therein to pin-like projections on the legs of substantially U-shaped relay armatures,

a nest,

an anvil located in the nest,

a cooperating tool mounted above the nest,

a movable support for the tool,

a s'lidable `feed element positionable in the nest during a feeding operation having front portions which contact a relay armature, and including -a slotted section intermediate said front portions, one or more verticallyextending projections fer engaging one or more corresponding Kapertures. in the hinge spring, and a vertically extending rear portion which contacts the closed end of the hinge spring,

a first spring pressed locating element mounted on the tool support for engaging the slotted section in the .feed element and forcing the armature into position Vfor riveting, andY a second spring pressed locating means comprising one or more elements mounted on the tool support for engaging one or more corresponding apertures in the hinge spring thereby positioning other yapertures in the hinge spring over the pin-like projections of the armature in a proper relation With respect to the anvil and tool for riveting.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR RIVETING AT LEAST ONE PIN-LIKE PROJECTION PREFORMED IN A FIRST PART TO A SECOND PART HAVING AN APERTURE TO RECEIVE THE PIN-LIKE PROJECTION: A NEST TO RECEIVE THE FIRST PART, AN ANVIL DISPOSED IN THE NEST, A TOOL SUPPORT MOVABLY DISPOSED OPPOSITE THE NEST, MEANS OPERABLE TO MOVE THE TOOL SUPPORT BETWEEN A NORMAL OPEN POSITION AND AN OPERATING POSITION, A TOOL CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT TO COOPERATE WITH THE ANVIL IN THE OPERATING POSITION TO RIVET THE END OF THE PINLIKE PROJECTION. AN ADJUSTABLE SPRING PRESSED LOCATING ELEMENT CARRIED BY THE TOOL SUPPORT ADAPTED TO LOCATE THE FIRST PART IN THE NEST AND THE PIN-LIKE PROJECTION IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE ANVIL AND TOOL PRIOR TO THE TOOL REACHING THE OPERATING POSITION, AND AN ADJUSTABLE SPRING PRESSED LOCATING 